Post office · Madras Presidency
Bellary
- Handstamps
- 13
- Recorded
- 1806–1858
- Rare
- 3
Ballary (later spelled Bellary) the seventh largest town in the Madras Presidency, became a large military station, but contained little but a fort, until the British built a cantonment. The fort was in possession of Mysore until 1792, when, with other territories of Tipu, it was given to the Nizam, who ceded it to the British in 1800. It is situated 15°9' N and 76°51' E .
Bellary has 13 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1806–1858 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Manuscript markings
1 markBefore handstamps were introduced, postmasters wrote postal details by hand — these manuscript markings pre-date the struck marks above.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
Bellary handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Black | 1806–1817 | Very scarce |
| HG 2 | Handstamp | Black | 1813 | 1 example recorded |
| HG 3 | Handstamp | Black | 1826–1832 | Scarce |
| HG 4 | Handstamp | Red | 1828–1837 | Common |
| HG 5 | Handstamp | Black | 1836 | Common |
| HG 6 | Handstamp | Red | 1837–1839 | Common |
| HG 7 | Handstamp | Black | 1840–1856 | Common |
| HG 8 | Handstamp | Red | 1849 | Common |
| HG 9 | Handstamp | Red | 1841–1856 | Common |
| HG 10 | Handstamp | Black | 1842–1858 | Common |
| HG 10a | Handstamp | Black | — | — |
| HG 11 | Handstamp | Red | 1838–1849 | Common |
| MN 1 | Manuscript | — | 1832 | Rare |
Frequently asked — Bellary postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Bellary?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Bellary are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Bellary post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Bellary was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 13 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1806 and 1858.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Bellary?
- 13 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Bellary in this census, of which 3 are graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
- What is Bellary called today?
- Bellary is the colonial-era name of present-day Ballari, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Bellary postmark or cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Bellary cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.
Also searched as: Bellary, Ballari, Bellary HG 1, Bellary handstruck stamps, Bellary pre stamp covers, Bellary postal history.
How to cite
“Bellary, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/bellary (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from Bellary?
If you hold a cover or strike from Bellary that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Madras Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Madras Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.